Content warning: This story includes allegations of sexual assault.
LONDON, Ontario – The person who filed the complaint in the sexual assault trial involving five former NHL players gave their first testimony on Friday.
Referred to in court documents as `E.M.` due to a publication ban protecting her identity, the woman described feeling “uncomfortable,” “confused,” and “claustrophobic” while on the dancefloor at Jack`s bar, stating she was “surrounded” by men previously identified as members of the 2018 Canadian world junior team.
E.M. also stated she consumed twelve alcoholic drinks on the evening of the alleged event in June 2018.
Testifying remotely from another location within the courthouse via CCTV, she detailed her alcohol consumption, listing seven Jagerbomb shots, one vodka or tequila shot, two coolers, a beer, and a vodka soda, adding that she felt “very drunk” by the conclusion of the night.
She described her initial interaction at the bar with Michael McLeod as “fine” after being introduced by an unnamed teammate. However, she later testified to feeling “pressure” to remain with him, noting he waited outside the washroom after she entered to “regroup.”
Presented with a cell-phone video by assistant Crown attorney Meaghan Cunningham, recorded towards the end of the night on the dancefloor, E.M. commented that she appeared “really intoxicated,” with her eyes shut, and she didn`t look “like I’m even aware a video is being taken.”
E.M.’s testimony for the day ended after she viewed security footage showing her and McLeod exiting a taxi and walking through the lobby of the Delta Armouries hotel. She stated her reason for returning to the hotel with McLeod was having “a hard time saying no.”
Earlier in the proceedings, Boris Katchouk provided testimony via video conference from Wilkes/Barre, Pennsylvania, following his AHL Penguins` playoff elimination. He stated that on June 18-19, 2018, his phone was broken, preventing him from receiving group chat texts from teammates. Katchouk testified he was in McLeod’s hotel room for under two minutes after McLeod invited him in, mentioning McLeod asked him at one point if he desired oral sex from the woman.
Katchouk also testified that during a brief period alone with the complainant in McLeod’s room while McLeod left to retrieve teammate Taylor Raddysh, E.M. asked for a bite of his pizza, which he declined.
Concluding his testimony, which started Wednesday (court was not in session Thursday due to a juror`s illness), Raddysh read a portion of his July 2018 statement to the Hockey Canada investigation into the court record. Raddysh stated he did not hear E.M. speak during the brief time he was in the room with McLeod and Katchouk before he went back to his own room.
Upon entering the courthouse Friday morning, some players were met by approximately ten protesters displaying signs, including one that read “Break the silence, stop the violence.”
McLeod, aged 27, faces two charges of sexual assault, one of which involves aiding in the offence. Dillon Dube (26), Cal Foote (26), Alex Formenton (25), and Carter Hart (26) are each charged with one count of sexual assault. All defendants have entered not guilty pleas.
E.M.`s testimony is scheduled to continue on Monday.
